A false ceiling is a building construction with a lightweight structure placed under the ceiling of a building, which results in a decrease in the useful height of the room concerned. The false ceiling may be made to meet aesthetic requirements and to form a covering with heat-insulating, sound-absorbing or fire-resistant material. The false ceiling may also be used to house one or more systems in the compartment created between the false ceiling and the ceiling. The most typical system housed in the false ceiling is a lighting system.
The most widespread false ceiling structure envisages the use of a grid-shaped metal structure comprising a plurality of inverted T-shaped profiles, which may be fastened to the ceiling of the building by means of suspension wires. A false ceiling generally comprises a plurality of (by way of non-limiting example, square-shaped) panels having edges that may rest on lower horizontal wings of the T-shaped profiles of the false ceiling structure.
One of the most widespread solutions for installing a lighting system in a false ceiling envisages the use of panel-shaped lighting fixtures that are inserted in place of the respective false ceiling panels and that exactly occupy the space of a false ceiling panel.
An alternative lighting system, which is of increasing interest in the market, may envisage the use of linear lighting devices that replace corresponding sections of T-shaped profiles. A solution of this type may allow better integration, from an aesthetic point of view, of the lighting system in the false ceiling structure, since the lighting devices do not replace the false ceiling panels. However, this solution may involve installation difficulties due to the fact that it may be necessary to remove sections of the false ceiling supporting structure for assembling the linear lighting devices.
In addition to assembly problems, another aspect to consider is the electrical connection of the lighting devices to the electrical network. When the lighting devices replace a part of the false ceiling structure (false ceiling panels or sections of the T-shaped profiles), the electrical connections may be made on the upper part of the false ceiling.
However, in cases where the lighting fixtures do not replace portions of the false ceiling structure, it may be necessary to provide holes in the false ceiling structure for passing the electrical power supply cables. This solution has the disadvantage of making the installation of the lighting devices complicated. As an alternative to the provision of holes, it may be necessary to install electrical connectors on the sides of the false ceiling structure for electrical connection of the lighting devices. This solution has the disadvantage of having a negative effect on the aesthetic appearance of the false ceiling.